I Promised Myself I Wouldn't Cry, But I Lied
by DR. COFFIN
Summary: Crossover followup to Flight & Little Boy Lost. Warren comes to show Will his new power and Will shows Warren the adoption papers. Forgotten sorrows and new revelations of the past heal old wounds and forge new bonds of love and friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**I Promised Myself I Wouldn't Cry, But I Lied**

**Chapter 1**

I'm standing outside Will's house.

It's late in the evening, but I wanted to make sure he and I wouldn't be disturbed.

I also didn't want to disturb his parents, especially his dad.

Things have changed so much in the past few months.

After the homecoming dance, I was surprised and a little scared when the Commander took me aside and said he wanted to speak to me.

I didn't know what he was going to say.

He apologized.

He said he was sorry for what happened between him and Dad. He said Dad would have been proud of the way I handled myself and helped save everyone from Royal Pain and her goons.

I didn't know what to say.

This was the man I had hated for so long. The man who I blamed for my Dad being in prison…kept away from Mom and me. The man whose son I had attacked, but neither of them held a grudge.

He actually put his hand on my shoulder.

"You're already a great hero," he said.

I only mumbled "thank you" as I was too numb to say anything else.

That was the first, last and only time I had spoken to Steven Stronghold.

Now I'm about to enter his home and speak personally with his son.

Because I have something to tell Will…something to show him.

Something that he and all the other people I have come to love have enabled me to do.

I see that the house is dark, except for the light on in one room. I'm sure it's Will's.

I focus for a moment, and I rise into the air as white flames spread from my heart and dance about me. I fly to land on the roof next to the window, darken my fire, and peer in.

It is Will. He is sitting on his bed, reading something.

I don't want to disturb him, but I am about to burst with the emotions in me.

With love.

I have already told my parents, and our friends Zach, Magenta and Ethan.

It is Will's turn.

I tap on the window, startling Will. He looks so surprised that I nearly laugh. He comes to the window and opens it.

"Hey Warren," he says, "what are you doing out here?"

"I…" I stammer, "I wanted to talk to you about something. Can I come in?"

"Sure," he says, letting me climb in through his window.

I look around and see his room. It is such a contrast to my own room with its bare walls. His walls are covered with posters of all kinds from movies and rock concerts, and a few clippings about his parents scattered here and there. I notice the weights in one corner and almost smile, as they won't do him any good anymore.

"Hey, nice coat," he says, noticing the birthday present I was given by our friends.

"Thanks," I reply sheepishly, "it was a gift for my birthday."

"Your…" says Will, who slaps his forehead, "oh man, I TOTALLY forgot. I'm sorry Warren."

"That's okay," I smile back to him, "I didn't mean to disturb you," I awkwardly apologize.

I'm not very good at these things.

"No," he says, "it's okay. I was just reading."

"About what?"

"You."

I have no idea what he is talking about. I then notice that he has been going through the contents of a large folder that holds numerous papers, photographs and newspaper clippings.

"It's the file about what happened when you were little."

I'm completely confused.

"What happened when I was little?"

"Yeah, you know, the hearing…" he said as if he was talking about the weather.

He then sees the look on my face, and realization sets in.

"Warren…oh God…I thought…I didn't mean…"

He's scared, but he shouldn't be. I'm not angry, just puzzled.

"Will, it's okay. I just don't know what you're talking about."

"The hearing…when Mom and Dad tried to adopt you."

Will's words hit me harder than I have ever been in my life.

"What?" I whisper.

Will finally knows that I am at a loss as to what he is talking about. He picks up the papers and hands them to me.

I see the cover and my world turns upside down.

PETITION FOR ADOPTION

In the manner of

STEVEN and JOSEPHINE STRONGHOLD

To become full and recognized guardians and legal parents of

WARREN PEACE

To be henceforth known as

WARREN STRONGHOLD

Adoption papers. The Strongholds were going to adopt me. Take me into their home and make me their own.

What happened?

Why didn't they?

Will puts his hand on my shoulder and guides me to a chair.

"You better sit down before you fall down, bro."

Bro…short for brother. We would have been brothers. We would have grown up together in this house.

"You better read this," Will encourages me.

I notice that his own eyes are red and puffed up. He has been crying. A lot.

I read the transcript of what happened.

I read about Dad's trials…Mom having a nervous breakdown.

I read how the government tried to take custody of me and the Strongholds stepped in to save me. I read about all the heroes who testified for them.

I also read about the villains who showed up as well. I read about Dr. Mandragore, Dad's old enemy, and his impassioned statements on behalf of both families

I read the judge's verdict, how he found in favor of Will's parents.

Why didn't they take me?

I then read about what happened next. I read how the Commander reached out to me, and I went insane.

I kept screaming, "I hate you!" as I attacked him and burst into flames. I read how he held me in his arms as my flames died…as I nearly died.

My hands are shaking, numb. I look up at Will and understand why he has been crying.

"Will…" I whisper, "I don't remember any of this."

To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

**I Promised Myself I Wouldn't Cry, But I Lied**

Chapter 2 

Will was nearly frantic.

He raced down the hall to his parents' room, and pounded on the door harder than he intended.

His fist went through the door like it was paper.

He was confused what to do next. He was working on a purely emotional level, and he didn't stop to think of simply pulling his arm out of the hole.

He ripped the door off the hinges, and stood in the doorway as he dropped it to the floor with a dull thud.

Both Steven and Josie Stronghold, in their pajamas, had been awakened in an instant by the noise and were already in defensive positions when they noticed it was their son. They both relaxed, but were concerned.

"Will, what's wrong?" Josie asked.

"It…it's Warren," said Will, panting to catch his breath, "he doesn't remember what happened.

"You mean…" began Steven.

"Any of it!" Will said louder than he intended. "He doesn't remember the hearing, the testimonies, what happened…any of it."

"Will," Steven said as the color started to drain from his face, "how do you know?"

"Because he's in my room right now reading the whole thing."

Josie and Steven looked at each other knowing what they had to do.

"Will, get Warren and meet us downstairs…in my den."

Will turned and stepped into the hallway to find Warren there, his face almost ashen.

"What happened? I heard a crash and thought…"

"No…no it wasn't Dad," said Will, knowing how Warren still felt nervous around his father, "it was me. I guess I still don't know my own strength."

Warren was as edgy as a caged panther, moving back and forth in the den. He looked ready to bolt at any second. Will had tried to calm him down and told him his dad wanted him there, but Warren didn't seem to hear him or was still upset reading about a piece of his life he didn't remember.

Warren tried to quell his nervous energy, and stopped to look at some of the photos on one of the walls. There were the usual assortment of Christmas, birthday and vacation pictures showing the family in different activities, but one particular picture caught his eye.

It was a picture of Baron Battle and Steven Stronghold from back in their own high school days. The two were grinning like idiots as they flexed their impressive physiques for the camera, and it looked like they had been having fun lifting monstrous weights that could be glimpsed in the background.

"That was when we were getting ready for the big game with New Olympus Prep," said Steven behind him, and Warren almost dropped the picture he had absent mindedly taken off the wall to look at. Steven was dressed in a long sleeve shirt and jeans, with his slippers on.

"Commander," he said, "I mean Mr. Stronghold…I…"

"Easy Warren," smiled Steven as he fully entered the room, "I'm glad you're here. A little late in the night, but that's okay."

Warren seemed to calm a little, but he couldn't bring himself to look Steven directly in the eyes.

"I…read about…" he started.

"It's true, Warren," said Steven as he walked slowly over to the boy who seemed to be shrinking away from him with every step.

"We wanted so much to adopt you. Your dad was my best friend…your mother was another friend…neither of them was in any shape to help you. The only way to keep you safe from the government was to make you ours."

"And if the government hadn't wanted me…" said Warren, his deep voice strangely trembling.

"We WANTED you Warren," said Steven, who reached out and put his hand on Warren's shoulder, "even if the government hadn't been threatening to take you away, we wanted you."

"But you didn't take me," whispered Warren, " because I went crazy and attacked you. You didn't want me around because I was dangerous…crazy like Dad…might have hurt Will or Mrs. Stronghold…"

"No Warren," said Steven, his voice becoming stronger, "We wanted you even more after what happened. I know it was not your fault. It was ours. We all got so carried away trying to save you we forgot to ask you what you wanted."

"But I hurt you…you must hate me."

"No Warren, I have never hated you, and I never will."

"How…how can you say that?"

"Warren, Josie and I have always loved you. We couldn't have loved you more if you HAD been our son. Nothing has ever changed that. Nothing ever will."

Steven put both his hands on Warren's shoulders, forcing him to finally look him in the face.

"Warren, I look at you and I see the greatness of your mom and dad in you. You have more than just their powers…you have each of their souls as well. I look into your eyes and I see your dad's passion and humor…I see your mother's gentleness, caring and kindness. I loved both of them. How could I not love you?"

"But…" whispered Warren.

"No buts. I can understand why you don't remember any of it. After…what happened, you went into a coma…burning up with a horrible fever. You were put on life support. You were under for…for two months. God, those were the longest days of my life."

"Of OUR lives, dear," said Josie as she entered the room. She had changed out of her nightgown into a simple blouse and jeans and was carrying a tray of sandwiches and mugs of hot cocoa. She set them down and joined her husband to look Warren in the eye.

"You were so sick," she said, reaching up and caressing his face. At first he started to flinch, but then he accepted her touch. "We put nearly everything else in our lives on hold. We didn't go out and stop evil…not that there seemed to be that much. It was like the entire underworld vanished for a time."

"A lot of it did." said Steven. "Dr. Skull, Blowhard, and Black Ice all retired. Rockabilly reformed and now works out in Las Vegas, and Tyrannosaur…just disappeared. Harpy, Mr.Richtor and Demolisher remained criminals, but they moved out to the West Coast. Then there was Dr. Mandragore and his wife. I'll say this for him, he may have been a villain, but I couldn't think of a better person to cure you."

"We took leaves of absences from our work. We only saw each other and Will when one of us wasn't with you at your bedside."

"Wait," said Will, "was that when…when Grandpa came and stayed with us for a while? He was always around even when you two weren't?"

Both his parents nodded their heads.

"Dad insisted on it," said Steven, "he came right over from the hospital that first night and watched you while we stayed with Warren until he was stabilized."

"I remember," said Will, "in the middle of the night I heard him talking to someone, and snuck downstairs to see him sitting in the living room talking to some really creepy looking old guy in a black suit."

"Dr. Skull, Dad's old enemy," said Steven, "he testified on our behalf at the trial too."

"You touched a lot of lives that day Warren," said Josie as she continued to caress him, her hand becoming wet from the hot tears starting to trickle down his cheeks.

"I'm…I'm so sorry…" said Warren, his heart breaking.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," said Steven, "you are always welcome in my home, and I am proud you're Will's friend."

"Why? I'm crazy…a monster…"

"No Warren," said Josie, pleading with him, "You're not. What can we say to show you we love you?"

"I guess it's time I showed him," said Steven.

Steven Stronghold, in one quick motion, tore the long sleeved shirt he had been wearing off his body.

Both boys gaped at what they saw.

There, across Steven's broad chest and on the inside of his arms was what appeared to be the negative image of what looked like a small human form. The huddled figure was exactly where a child would have been if held in the Commander's mighty arms. On his left pectoral, directly over his heart, was the perfect profile of the face belonging to a boy…the eye was closed and every detail down to the hair was clear for all to see.

It was Warren's profile, from when he was eight.

His image had been burned into Steven's skin by his flames, like the outlines of people burned into the walls they had been standing in front of when the first atomic bombs were dropped.

"Would I be able to live with this for over eight years…still welcome you into my home and thank you for being my son's friend…if I didn't love you?"

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

**I Promised Myself I Wouldn't Cry, But I Lied**

Chapter 3 

Will Stronghold realized something.

In over eight years he had never seen his dad without a long sleeved shirt buttoned up to his neck unless he was in his Commander costume, which also had a high neck.

Now he knew why.

Will continued to stare at the image of a little boy flash-burned into his father's supposedly invulnerable skin. Next to him, equally stunned, stood the one who had unknowingly done it.

Warren Peace was in absolute shock. The final revelation from his past caused him to drop to his knees. He looked up at Steven, his eyes filled with tears.

"I'm…I'm so sorry…"

With one swift motion the Commander reached down, lifted up the cringing young man, and once again held him to his chest.

"Of course I forgive you, son," whispered Steven, "Can you forgive me?"

Warren only nodded and returned Steven's hug as strongly as he could. Though not in Will's class Warren was still very powerful and he nearly knocked the breath from Steven for a moment.

"Steven?"

"Steven, please let him go."

Steven Stronghold knelt on the cold marble floor of the courtroom, holding the motionless little boy in his arms.

"Steven," Josie repeated, "please…"

"Son," said his father, the famous super hero Major Victory, trying to reach him, "let him go. For the love of God…please."

"I won't," sobbed Steven, "I won't let you go Warren. I lost your father…I lost your mother…I won't lose you."

Powerful hands grabbed Steven from behind. Half a dozen other heroes and villains with super strength grabbed his arms, trying to pull them apart.

It was useless.

Finally his father joined in, and together they slowly pried open Steven's arms just enough for the Major to grab Warren and pull him out.

The little boy, his clothes burned away, was quickly placed on one of the tables where Dr. Mandragore frantically examined him. Paramedics were arriving, but he was far better qualified to attend to the boy. He swiftly grabbed a stethoscope and tried to check for a heartbeat and breathing, but the scalding heat drove him back.

"Shaniqua," he yelled, "cool him down quickly!"

Without hesitation Black Ice, one of the villains, began drawing the heat from the air to power her ability to create snow and ice. In an instant she released a flurry of snow that covered Warren, resulting in a cloud of steam until his body began to finally cool down.

Dr. Mandragore found a weak but steady heartbeat, and ordered Warren be put on oxygen.

"We have to get him to a hospital…Lucretia…"

"At once," his wife answered. With a grand gesture the entire room went black for a moment, then everyone found themselves in the emergency room of the hospital down the street.

"This boy is going into shock," yelled Dr. Mandragore to a nurse, "I need a room NOW!"

The sudden appearance of so many people out of a blast of black light startled the staff, but at once they did as they were told when the situation was known. An examination room was swiftly prepared, and the attending physician deferred to Dr. Mandragore's expertise and oversaw the setting up of the required equipment to monitor the little boy's condition and stabilize him.

Steven was still on his knees, sobbing his heart out. It was then that Josie noticed his jacket, tie and shirt were burned away, and the state of his skin underneath.

"Please," she cried, "Steven needs help…he's been badly burned!"

The news shocked everyone there. The Commander could walk through volcanoes without a singed hair…how could he be burned now?

Black Ice again acted, covering Steven's upper body with a flurry of ice and snow that hissed and steamed as it cooled his burned chest, but was unable to do anything for the pain in his heart.

Now Steven again held the boy, now a young man, to his chest.

"I'll never let you go again," he whispered, "never."

Josie and Will both watched, tears of joy in their own eyes.

Steven finally broke the hug to step back and look at Warren.

Josie immediately stepped in and hugged Warren, the top of her head barely touching his chin. Her arms about him provided comfort that he had never felt outside the touch of his own mother…and even his father so long ago. He returned her gentle embrace, his tears wetting her hair as her own fell on his shirt.

"Warren," said Steven, "We have something to show you…downstairs."

Josie released Warren and stepped back, smiling her approval.

Will only grinned, wiping his eyes for possibly the thousandth time that day.

Steven walked over to a picture of a sailing ship and touched a hidden button. The picture opened up to reveal a strange metal plate with the image of a hand on it.

"Warren," smiled Steven, "come here."

Warren did as he was told. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew he had to find out.

"Could you place your hand there?"

Curious, Warren did.

The outline of the hand glowed. A strange humming sound filled the air, and across the room what looked like a china cabinet spit in two along with a section of wall, opening to reveal a shaft leading to beneath the house.

"It's a lot later than I had hoped," smiled Steven as he placed his hand on Warren's shoulder, "but I think it's time for you to finally enter our Secret Sanctum."

"How…" started Warren, his eyes wide with wonder.

"I programmed it with your genetic code years ago," smiled Steven, "Dr. Mandragore gave me a lock of your hair to do it with. He was as positive about it as I was that one day you'd join us."

I am stunned.

I am honored.

I am standing in the legendary Secret Sanctum.

I have never been so scared in my life.

I look around at all the strange items the Commander and Jetstream keep on display. Even without the display cards I recognize so many of them from history class; weapons and devices taken from the like of Ticranium, Exo, King Kamayamayhem, and others.

It's almost more than I can handle. I came here to share a secret with a friend, only to find he and his family had one for me. A big one.

What would it have been like to live here…growing up in this house of love…being loved?

Would I have called them mom and dad?

What about Layla, right next door? Would I have fallen in love with her so many years sooner? Would she have loved me?

My parents are still alive, but Dad was unable to help me, and Mom…would she have allowed it? Would she have given me up if she knew how much the Strongholds loved and cared about me? Would she have sacrificed her own feelings so that I would be safe and secure?

Yes, she would have. That's the kind of person she is. That's why she still refuses to divorce Dad after all these years.

Why do all these people care about me?

I'm not anyone special. A lot of people would consider me dangerous, a threat.

Yet the more I turn around, there is someone else wanting to be my friend. People at school actually talk to me. Girls come up…some a little afraid still…and actually flirt with me.

I don't know how to handle it.

Where were all of them when I needed them? Where were the friends when I needed to talk…the girls when I was lonely?

I know a lot of it was because of my Dad. He cast a long shadow over my young life.

But now I'm stepping out of it. I'm being helped by my friends…my real friends.

Another big part of it was how I looked and acted. I subconsciously wanted to fulfill their image of what I was; the bad seed son of a madman destined to be evil as well.

I was so hungry for attention even the negative kind was a blessing.

And it turns out all along there were people who did care, who wanted me.

A man who willingly became disfigured showing his love for me…his son who kept extending his hand to me in friendship even after I tried to hurt him and his friends…who are now my friends too.

"I just thought of something," said Will, "does this make us the Stronghold FOUR?"

Both of his parents seem surprised, but they quickly smile.

"If he'll have us," his dad says.

Yes. Oh God, yes.

I feel it happening again.

My heart…the strange but now familiar sensation from that first time as I stood on the edge of Sky High and stepped off, words of love on my lips, and gained flight.

I thought Will was the only one here that could do this for me.

Now I know there are two others who have also been empowering me all along.

"Sir," I say, smiling for the first time since I came here, "you have shown me so much. I came here to show Will something, but I would be honored if you and Mrs. Stronghold would also come outside."

The request is met with puzzled expressions, and for a fleeting instant I think they will decline, but then they all agree.

My smile grows broader, and my heart soars.

"You have a beautiful smile," Mrs. Stronghold says as we head outside. She caresses my face again, and I melt with the gentleness and love it brings. "I'd like to see it more often."

I have a feeling everyone will.

Outside in the chill night air, it is very late. No one is about. That's how I want it. This is something only my friends…my family…can see.

Before anyone can move, I grab Will and hug him tight. He doesn't know how to respond at first, but then he returns it with ferocity.

"The cafeteria," I whisper, "I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be," he answers, "if it hadn't been for you, I might never have powered up. I owe you…everything."

"I threatened to roast you alive…"

"But you didn't."

"You saved me in Save the Citizen…thank you."

"You would have done the same."

"You think?"

"No, I know."

We break the embrace, and I see he's still crying like a little girl.

"People might get the wrong idea about us," I joke.

"What," he grins back, "they've never seen brothers hug?"

His dad has called me "son". He refers to me as "brother". I still don't know how to respond.

"So what's the big surprise?" asks Will.

"This." I cannot contain it any longer. I release the love that has been growing inside me even stronger since Will and his family revealed my past…our past, to me.

They love me.

The man I once thought of as my enemy…his son who I once attacked…

They love me.

They have made me more powerful.

The white flames from my heart envelope me, lighting up the back yard as bright as day.

I rise into the air, hovering as I smile down on them.

Will has that same dumb look on his face when he's trying to figure something out. I smile even wider at his puzzlement. The Commander…Steven has a look of pride like I was his own son first powering up. Mrs. Stronghold…Josie is crying, but she is smiling.

"Oh Steven," I hear her say, "he looks like an angel."

Maybe I am. No longer a fallen one, but one ascendant, empowered by them…by their love.

"Thank you," I tell them, "you gave me the power to do this. Your love has done this for me. I can't ever repay you."

"Just having you here," she smiles, "is thanks enough."

I cannot resist performing the fireworks I did for Zach, Magenta and Ethan. I soar into the air, lighting up the sky with steamers and bursts of wondrous but harmless flame.

Now I know how to respond. In flaming letters I write "thank you" and "I love you".

I then swoop down and hover next to Will.

"Hey Will, how about a race?"

It takes a moment for him to catch on…then he grins like a pumpkin on Halloween and rises into the air to join me.

"Where to?" he asks.

"Second star on the right, then straight on 'til morning," I joke.

"You got it brother," he says.

Brother. I like that.

As one we both rise into the sky, then take off through the night, soaring higher than the clouds.

My brother and I.

As I fly, I feel warm tears flowing again.

Before I came here tonight, I promised myself I wouldn't cry.

But I lied.

The End


End file.
